Iwo Jima (Battlefield V)
'''Iwo Jima' is a map of Battlefield V which was introduced on October 31st, 2019 within the fifth chapter of Tides of War, War in the Pacific. It was first revealed in Battlefield V - Chapter 4: Defying the Odds Trailer. Attacked in February 1945 to secure bases in preparation for the planned , the five week battle for island of Iwo Jima was characterised as one of the bloodiest of the Pacific War. Heavily fortified defensive positions including over 18km of tunnels allowed the Japanese to inflict heavy casualties on the American attackers. However, as the Japanese were significantly outnumbered with no chance of reinforcement, resupply or retreat, the battle was a foregone conclusion. In the aftermath, a photograph taken of six Marines raising the flag on the summit of Mount Suribachi would become an iconic image of World War II. Overview Iwo Jima can be divided into four separate playable areas. West of all, standing over the map in grand scale is Mount Suribachi - a coarse-surfaced monolith of black rock, its inactive volcanic crater smouldering under the artillery barrages of the massive US fleet found offshore. It is separated from the rest of the map by the Bloody Gulch, a deep crevice cutting across the width of the island. Northeast of this is the Japanese airbase of Motoyama, its massive runways themselves heavily cratered by shellfire. To the south, the ashen beaches used by the invasion force are similarly chaotic, with the sunken hulks of Landing Craft piled up on the shallow sea bed and burnt-out tank hulks adorning every dune, the tops of which are barbed with belts of dragon's teeth. Finally, in the center, the main body of the single continuous landmass is comprised of barren, highly uneven grasslands known as the Headlands. Between the unnatural-looking black beaches and the complete lack of foliage or civilian settlements, Iwo Jima appears harsh, desolate, and all the more isolated amidst the vast Pacific Ocean. Despite being devoid of vegetation, the entire island is a veritable hive of fortifications, with trench lines snaking across almost the entire length of the play area, connecting an array of bunkers, pillboxes and gun emplacements together. Mount Suribachi is similarly furnished with an extensive cave and tunnel system running through the entire rock, as are other areas throughout the lowlands such as the Lava Caves and the Anti-Aircraft Hill. While tanks and aircraft can roam freely about the battlefield, infantry too can move and hide in safety within the island's many earthen structures. Beyond the limits of the playable area, American battleships and destroyers pound inland targets with naval gunfire in support of troops wading shore up the beach from the US deployment. Japanese soldiers swarm over the hilltops to meet them, while formations of Corsairs and C-47s blanket the skies with bombardments. These setpieces create a sense of scale befitting the map's size, and reinforces its thematic representation of a bloody and climactic confrontation. Flag Layout show/hide Conquest Conquest is fought between six flags, three of which are on the Headlands of the island towards the east, while the rest are on the west side either in the vicinity of or directly inside Mount Suribachi. In the former areas, the windswept coastal plains lend themselves both to long-range combat between hills and short range fighting in the numerous trench systems, pillboxes, bunkers and the objectives associated with them. The area is also ideal terrain for tanks, allowing engagements over largely unobstructed sightlines. West of Bloody Gulch however the sharply sloping terrain, combined with the highly restrictive tunnel network running throughout the heights, generally means combat in and around the mountain takes place on foot. Each team starts the battle with 500 tickets. Equipment Deployments US Deployment The US spawn points are located around the island's southern coast, in the vicinity of Beachhead Red, which is out-of-bounds to the enemy team. Players have the choice of deploying directly onto the beach via a landed LST, which is the spawn point for the team's ground vehicles including tanks, and houses a 40mm AA piece on the bow for protecting the beachhead. They can also spawn on a buoyant LST out to sea to the west of Beachhead Red, which allows for the deployment of four LCVPs. As the nearest point of Beachhead Command Post is also very close to the Japanese spawn, and may be subject to correspondingly heavy fighting early on in the match, the landing craft can be used gain quick access to the flags around the western end of the island around Mt. Suribachi, by coming ashore at the alternative landing zone of Beachhead Green. The beach next to the grounded LST is used as the spawn point for the team's light vehicles, and further contains a Vehicle Supply Station, Health and Ammo caches, and an M2 Flamethrower Battle Pickup. Out to sea, the US planes takeoff from the decks of three Aircraft Carriers, with the central carrier used to house the team's single Aircraft Resupply airhook. Iwo Jima 05.png|Beachhead Red Iwo Jima 24.png|Beachhead Green Iwo Jima 07.png|LST Iwo Jima 08.png|US Carrier Japanese Deployment Japan's singular spawn point is found within the massive Motoyama Airbase towards the northern edge of the playable area. The location has direct access to the island's primitive road network which links not only to the nearby Command Post flag but also grants easy vehicle access to the adjacent Munitions Depot and Last Stop objectives. The base is protected by a number of outlying fortifications to deter spawn-campers, augmented by two 40mm AA guns in concrete casemates on the perimeter. In addition to Health, Ammo and Vehicle Resupply Stations, there is provision for an M2 Flamethrower pickup. Japanese pilots must takeoff from the runways at Motoyama, with their team's airhook being found at an intersection of two runways on the northeastern corner of the airbase. Iwo Jima 16.png Iwo Jima 14.png Iwo Jima 15.png Iwo Jima 35.png Iwo Jima 34.png|Observation Tower Flags A: Suribachi Artillery A coastal defense battery, sited high above the invasion beaches and well protected within the dense cave networks of Mount Suribachi, is the focal point of this flag found within the western section of the mountain. Three Type 10 guns present from openings of the bunker like cave, the interior of which is the setting of the flag's capture zone. Within this oblong cave, cover is sparse save for a central supporting pillar and blind spots created by sharply twisting tunnels, of which five adjoin to the cave itself. This gives players many options in terms of assaulting the flag, although given its isolated position relative to the map as whole, simply reaching it can be a challenge. Combat within the rocky bowels of the mountain occurs invariably at close-quarters, although unlike the rest of the map, players are at least safe from off-map artillery, tank and air attack. Health and Ammo Stations are located within the capture zone. In addition to the artillery guns, which have limited firing angles but can be useful for defending the southern bearing into flag, two jeeps spawn on the wide ridge outside the cave. This ridge serves as the main road route up the mountain, passing across the southern face to link up with the adjacent Chi-Ha Assembly Station, ending at the foot of the mountain around The Last Stop. The east and west mountain complexes are separated above ground by a large fissure, but remain connected from below via the tunnel system. Players can also scale the southern cliffs to reach the mountain summit, where a Katana battle pickup is precariously placed. Iwo Jima 38.png|Mt. Suribachi Iwo Jima 53.png Iwo Jima 54.png Iwo Jima 45.png Iwo Jima 46.png Iwo Jima 44.png Iwo Jima 47.png Iwo Jima 39.png|Cliffside Path Iwo Jima 04.png|Suribachi Summit B: Chi-Ha Assembly Station The Chi-Ha Assembly Station is located within the caves of the eastern section of the mountain. The capture area consists of a natural chamber where two Chi-Ha tanks are awaiting service, their turrets hung from crane hooks suspending from the rocky ceiling, parked within a maintenance bay cut into the north wall of the cave. The south side is mostly cleared to allow the tanks to exit via the eastern passageway. There are a total of five direct routes into the Assembly chamber, including through the fallen-in cave ceiling on the west side of the capture zone - the rockfall of which has created a ramp for players to enter and exit, granting access to the higher ground of the mountain's south face. This means that there is little cover within the zone that cannot be negated by the range of approaches - the majority of concealment is found behind and between the tanks. Despite this, the highly enclosed nature of the flag is a great asset for defenders. A number of mineshaft-like tunnels run throughout the mountain, directly connecting this flag with the Suribachi Artillery base. An Ammo station is located beside the slope, and a Health station is to the left of the slope. A Katana and Flamethrower can be found within the caves of the east mountain. Finally, a jeep spawns outside the main cave entrance to the east of the flag. Iwo Jima 03.png Iwo Jima 41.png Iwo Jima 40.png|Cave-in Iwo Jima 42.png|Adjacent tunnels Iwo Jima 43.png C: The Last Stop This objective is focused on a cliffside redoubt lying above Bloody Gulch to the east and overlooked by the high ridges at the foot of Mt. Suribachi to the west. The flag carries the nickname of a C-47 cargo aircraft that crashed there. The plane impacted the hill with enough force to initially shave off its tail, with the remaining aircraft body sent ploughing forward, pushing aside dirt mounds and carving out a trench-like ditch before coming to rest. The largest remaining section of the plane, a sheered-off section of the forward fuselage, can be entered and used as cover by players. The surrounding crash site, a rough patchwork of boulders and upturned fortifications, is littered with flaming debris from the engines, wings and interior cargo that are an environmental hazard. Situated on the summit of a large, vertically-sided hill, The Last Stop is a relative high point that can be used to extend control over the adjacent flag of Coastal Artillery, but can itself be easily attacked from the west due to the lack of directional cover. Health and Ammo can be retrieved from casemates on the south edge of the hill, while a Katana can be found northeast of the flag, located in the separated tailend of the crashed plane. A light vehicle is spawned by this flag. Iwo Jima 02.png Iwo Jima 25.png Iwo Jima 26.png Iwo Jima 27.png Iwo Jima 28.png Iwo Jima 23.png|Bloody Gorge D: Munition Depot Located centrally within the play area is the so-called Anti-Aircraft Hill. The large rocky mound can be identified from afar by a red-lit radio mast on its summit, and is bordered to the north and east by a V-shaped trenchline that connects up to three cylindrical casemates, two of which house 40mm AA guns. Additional fortifications along with a Heavy Machine Gun emplacement sit atop the mound around the antenna. While the majority of the capture area comprises the trench system and the clearing at the base of the hill, it also includes a cave system running beneath the hill made up of a central chamber, reachable from the east main entrance and used to house the flag's Ammo, Health and Katana Battle Pickup, as well as smaller branching tunnels outside the capture zone that exit to the south and west sides of the hill. The Munition Depot spawns an extra tank for its captor, as well as a car. One of the map's few neutral Vehicle Supply Stations are found outside the caves on the eastern roadway. Iwo Jima 01.png Iwo Jima 18.png Iwo Jima 20.png Iwo Jima 19.png E: Coastal Artillery Directly south of the Munitions Depot is the Coastal Artillery Battery - a set of three Type 10 cannons trained on the gently sloping approach south towards Beachhead Green and the coast. The capture zone is centered within a widened section of the trench housing the coastal guns, with a Health and Ammo resupply station directly located in the flag itself. It also extends a short distance to the east and west, strictly conforming to the trench interior and forcing confrontations to occur within very tight quarters. The trench continues far to the east, linking up to the fortifications overlooking the Beachhead Red exit draw. At its western end is a Vehicle Resupply Station. The position can be a useful asset for the Japanese team as a means to deter LCVP-based intrusions by the US, restricting their access to the western half of the map. The emplacements means the site may function well as an anti-tank and anti-air strongpoint, with the flat terrain allowing the guns maximum freedom for ranged engagements. Iwo Jima 51.png Iwo Jima 21.png Iwo Jima 22.png F: Beachhead Command Post The command center for the beachhead defenses is situated on a flag earth shelf at the top of the beach, overlooking the final line of fortifications ahead of the Japanese airbase. The flag is directly connected to Motoyama via the main road, and the area consists of a large pillbox orientated towards the beach approach, behind which is an open staging area for supply trucks adjacent to the roadway. A short stretch of trenches runs along the capture zone on its east side, while the whole area is bordered to the north and east by the Motoyama Checkpoint ridge and associated trenchline, and the Rallying Point hill containing buildable anti-aircraft guns, respectively. The flag lies about 200m south of the Japanese spawn and 300m uphill from the American spawn, and is the closest flag for either team starting off. As a result, the it is expected to be hotly contested early on in the match, especially considering the flag generates an extra tank spawn for whichever team holds it, in addition to a light vehicle, Health and Ammo resupplies, and a Katana. Iwo Jima 32.png Iwo Jima 33.png Iwo Jima 31.png|Motoyama Checkpoint Breakthrough In Breakthrough, US forces are tasked with making an amphibious landing on Iwo Jima, securing the island and its airbase by rooting out the Japanese defenders. While the Americans can count on vehicular superiority, the determined defenders can count on a significant, multi-layered belt of fortifications, including pillboxes, gun positions and tunnels, each of which must be overtaken in turn. While the ultimate goal of the US is to scale and capture the strategic high ground of Mt. Suribachi, Japan must make any such attempt at victory as costly as humanly possible. The attackers are allocated 400 tickets at match start. Although a long Breakthrough map at six sectors, Iwo Jima is notable for its smooth difficulty curve that has earlier stages favor the attackers before ramping up the strength of the opposition as the match progresses, culminating in a brutal, point-blank attritional fight to reenact history on the mountain summit itself. Sector 1 The battle begins with the amphibious stage of the operation, where the US Armed Forces must assault the island in landing craft to establish a beachhead for their push inland. The main thrust of the offensive is concentrated on a strip of beach known as Beachhead Red - the sole objective for capture in sector one. The area is situated near an already beached Landing Ships which, along with the wrecks of tanks and other debris scattered along the shoreline, suggests a previous landing attempt that failed, with the US team's attack being the second wave. The American assault is made from a Landing Ship out in the Open Waters to the southwest of the beach, which can deploy two LVTs and four LCVPs for use by the disembarking infantry. Players can also deploy from the aircraft carrier alongside the ship to the west which carries extra LCVPs and is used to launch two F4Us allotted to the Americans at this and all subsequent stages. The Japanese have no vehicles to support them, but are reinforced on the beach itself with several 6 Pounder anti-tank guns and Type 93 HMGs, with 40mm AA guns located just behind the frontline. The terrain around the beach itself consists of several berms, one just short of the waterline and another further back housing a row of dragon's teeth, a long buildable trench line and many shell craters that can also be reinforced with cover. The objective radius, although stretching from this first ridge to encompass much of the first defensive line, is generally favorable to attackers with the land providing decent directional cover. Therefore, to stall the US as long as possible at this stage, the Japanese must conduct an active defense, moving forward to clear any personnel from the berm or putting it in defilade by firing along the beach. Stationary weapon gunners, although limited in fields of fire, are advised to focus on naval transports and amphibious tanks to stem the tide of infantry actually setting foot on the beach. The US team can counter this by avoiding the AT guns' sightlines and landing up the coast, by getting armor and air assets to priorities destroying these gun positions, or by using speed and massed force to overwhelm the defenders before they get a chance to properly establish themselves. Sector 2 With a toehold on the island having been achieved, the US must fan out to consolidate their fragile beachhead, falling upon the second Japanese defensive line as they move up the beach to the north. Closest to the shore is the objective A, the Rallying Point, situated behind the third ridge and the concrete pillboxes built within it. The area consists of a shallow ring of trenches cut into the rock, overlooked by a large mound. US players can reach the area by scaling the ridge or by blasting holes in the outward facing pillbox walls, gaining access to the trenches beyond. Objective B is the Beachhead Command Post, across a stretch of open grassland atop the back shore to the west. It is comprised of a large bunker adjoined to a concrete seawall, behind which is an open pit used to house several cargo trucks. The US LVTs are discarded in favor of two Sherman tanks at this stage, deployed from the landed LST, as well as mobile 40mm AA and 6 Pounder gun, each towed behind their own GPW. The Japanese spawn, which is relocated west towards the Munitions Depot, is furnished with one tank and one Type 95 Car of their own. Sector 3 Having successfully widened their beachhead, the American attack shifts westward across the Headlands towards the heights. At this stage, they have one objective - the Munitions depot. The flag is protected by a dense array of fortifications including a trench line. In the way of defence, two 40mm AA guns and a Type 93 HMG are offered a commanding view of the plains that the attackers must cross. The direct approach for the Americans up the road from the Command Post is generally devoid of cover. The US team can take wide flanks using the trenches to the north or the ridgetop to the south, bypassing the eastward-orientated defenses to attack the flag from the rear. It should be noted that the point can be captured from exterior of the Anti-Aircraft Hill or the caves below it, but not from above. Sector 4 With the halfway point of the assault bypassed, the US advance upon the foot of Mt. Suribachi. The two objectives at this stage are located at the mouth of the cave tunnels running throughout the rock, and are positioned in close proximity and direct line of sight with one another. Objective A is the Lava Cave, while objective B is The Last Stop. The Lava Cave is at the north side of the beach draw that is Bloody Gulch, and consists of a hollow, squat mound that has been used to site two pillboxes. There are tunnel entrances to the cave interior on all sides expect the one facing the US advance, although additional entrypoints can be created by blowing through the pillboxes walls with explosives. The inside of the capture zone is highly cramped, with sightlines being blocked by a low ceiling and thick rocky supporting pillars. Unlike the last sector, the flag can be influenced from the roof above the caves. The Last Stop is separated from the Lava Cave objective by a wide gully, and is itself isolated atop a large hill. Although lacking in general cover, the few ditches and concrete casemates lining the hill top are obscured by the lip of the east ridge, which the US team must scale to gain access to the flag. They can alternatively bypass the hill to the south, looping around to place the defenders in enfilade. The Japanese trade their Type 95 Car for an extra tank, while the US lose their GPW for no similar gain. Each team's spawn points are located some distance from the objectives, either inside the caves of eastern Suribachi or at the Munitions Depot, respectively - mobilization time in consequently longer compared to other sectors. Furthermore, each team has access to high ground from which to support an attack on the objectives. For the Americans, this is a hilltop parallel with the Lava Caves that overlooks both objectives. For the Japanese, it is the ridgeline running along the southern face of the mountain that also houses a 40mm AA gun for air defense. Sector 5 Fighting continues within the body of the mountain itself, both teams fighting a desperate close quarters battle for control of the defensive holdouts therein - the Chi-Ha Assembly Station and the Suribachi Artillery. At this stage, the US advance is severely limited by the terrain. A push through the cave systems leaves the attackers prone to bottenecking, while use of the southern path outside the caves is highly exposed to defenders lying in wait on the rocks above or attending the pillboxes overwatching the roadway. Japanese armored forces are depleted by this phase of the battle. Sector 6 During this final, climactic stage the US must reach the Summit of Mount Suribachi, wresting control of the heights and the volcanic crater beyond away from the Japanese defenders and leaving them nowhere to go. The capture point is very small, spanning the lip of the mountain crest, meaning Squad Reinforcement artillery is highly effective at this stage. The US team has little tactical options but to push forwards and overpower the defenders with sheer weight of numbers. If the attackers persevere and take control of the flag, the battle is theirs. With yet another Japanese airbase firmly in US hands, their four year long island hopping campaign is nearing its completion - but the ever increasing fierceness of the enemy as they approach their home islands is foreboding of even greater bloodshed in the near future. Squad Conquest Squad Conquest takes place towards the eastern end of the larger play area, between the two team's Conquest spawns. Objectives are placed throughout this hilly, largely exposed area of the Headlands, with the two outlying flags separated by a large ridge housing an extensive trench network, which may facilitate covered movement between them. Deployments US Deployment The US Deployment is at the Trench Line at the foot of the cliffs housing Beachhead Command Post. While their initial spawn is in direct line of sight to the bunker objective, the team can make use of spawn protection to bypass the area via the eastern flank. Japanese Deployment The Japanese team deploy from the east side of the Motoyama Airbase, across the main road exiting the base from the nearby flag of Observation Tower. Their spawn area is amongst a mass of tents, crates and supply trucks that hides the team from direct view, except from those occupying the Tower itself. Flags A: Observation Tower The Observation Tower is located within the inner perimeter of the Airbase on its west side, with point corresponding to a stumpy bowl-like mound between two concrete casemates, with a sandbag wall around the crest. Although outside the capture area, the airfield's control Tower is on the north side of the mound. The slight elevation of the area allows defenders to spot enemies approaching from the southern hillside, with players on upper deck of the tower even able to see into the vicinity of Beachhead Command Post. North still of the tower are two camouflaged concrete hangars for aircraft that can be used both as a cover position to hold the flag or to hide Spawn Beacons. Health and Ammo can be retrieved from the base of the tower, along with a Katana battle pickup. B: Motoyama Checkpoint Motoyama Checkpoint is located to the west center of the play area, outside the main Motoyama Base cordon. Located in a 20m long pit connected to the trenches, the Checkpoint consists of a green tent covering stacks of supply boxes and a wooden watchtower, the perimeter consisting of tall sandbag walls. The below-ground location of the objective area combined with the surrounding wall means those inside the capture zone are mostly blind to the surrounding areas. While the watchtower can be climbed to remediate this, they will be in direct line of sight with anyone using the elevated positions at the two adjacent flags. The point contains a Health Station and an M2 Flamethrower battle pickup. C: Beachhead Command Post The Beachhead Command Post has the largest of the three capture zones, based around the cliff bunker directly south of the Airbase. As in Conquest it covers both the interior of the bunker and the area immediately around it including the adjacent main road. Aside from the bunker the area is decided lacking in cover, especially against the main line of approach to the north. Using Fortifications a large perimeter wall of sandbags can be put up, with further cover positions capable of emplacement on the roof of the bunker itself. The roof position can be used to gain greater visibility against the overlooking ridge. An Ammo cache is found within the bunker, with Health and a Katana can be picked up from the outside yard. Team Deathmatch Team Deathmatch takes place in and around Mount Suribachi. While Bloody Gulch and the Lava Caves are cut off to the east, players can roam freely about the caves and tunnels between the Artillery and Chi-Ha Assembly areas and scale the southern face of the mountain, although the mountain summit and the roofs above the caves are off limits. The Type 10 Guns at the top of the cave complex are still operational in this gamemode. Outpost Iwo Jima received support for the Outpost gamemode in Week 11 of War in the Pacific, taking placed between 9th and 16th January 2020. The map features a 75 recruit limit. Iwo Jima is one of the smaller versions of Outpost both in terms of play area and objectives, with teams facing each other around the center of the larger map, for the conquest of just three radio towers. Equipment Starting with five light vehicles per side, as recruit count increases each team can field a maximum of two tanks and aircraft, as well as a Squad Reinforcement tank. Each objective also spawns a light vehicle when captured. Deployments US Deployment The US Deploy from the Beachhead Command Post on the east side of the play area. Japanese Deployment The Japanese spawn inside cave mouth in the vicinity of the Chi-Ha Assembly plant. Objectives A: The Last Stop The Last Stop objective is positioned in the same area as in Conquest. The position overlooks much of the low ground to the east and north, with a HMG protecting the former approach, but is itself overlooked by the vantage point of the Northern Ridge objective. B: Northern Ridge The Northern Ridge objective is on the northern side of the central play area. The position occupies the high ground opposite the Lava Caves bunker complex on the northern mouth of Bloody Gorge. The radio mast is positioned on the hill apex, surrounded by light fortifications including an HMG set up facing east, covering the open ground of the Headlands between it and the Munition Depot. C: Munition Depot The radio mast in the vicinity of the Munition Depot is located on the east side of the Anti-Aircraft Hill. Its position and the surrounding trench network are valuable defensive assets for the US team, although the flag can be attacked using the caves running beneath the hill. An HMG is set up to protect the eastern cave entrance. Gallery BF5 Iwo Jima Trailer.png|Iwo Jima as seen in the Battlefield V – War in the Pacific Official Trailer BF5 Type 4 Trailer.png BF5 WITP Promotional 02.png BF5 M2 Flamethrower Promotional.png BF5 M4 Sherman Promotional.png BF5 M1919A6 Trailer.png BF5 Sherman Crocodile Trailer.png BF5 Iwo Jima Promotional 01.jpg BFV Chapter 5 Teaser.PNG|Early image of Iwo Jima as seen of the Chapter 4 trailer. Bfv-chapter4-pacific.jpg.adapt.crop16x9.1455w.jpg|Ditto. Iwo Jima 50.png|Beachhead Red Iwo Jima 37.png|Beachhead Red Iwo Jima 36.png|Rallying Point Iwo Jima 49.png|Headlands Iwo Jima 29.png|Lava Caves Iwo Jima 30.png|Lava Caves Iwo Jima 48.png|Suribachi Summit Iwo Jima 12.png|AI US soldiers landing out-of-bounds Iwo Jima 13.png|AI Japanese soldiers also out-of-bounds Trivia *The size of the map was noted by designers to be 70% of the actual size of the real island, with a play area larger than Hamada's. This is also the reason why the entire map is not available compared to past versions of the map. *A tiny red house, also found on the map Arras and the map Rupture from Battlefield 1, can be found in a cave in the map. *The placement of the flagpole for the final objective in Breakthrough appears to be a reference to the famous photograph "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima". References Category:Maps of Battlefield V Category:Battlefield V: War In The Pacific